Taylor 562ce
12-String Acoustic Guitar
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Best 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Taylor 562ce
- Don Makoviney
- Last Updated: August 29, 2020
If had to buy a 12-string guitar tomorrow with price as no object, I'd get the Taylor 562CE. It's not even the most expensive out there, but it sounds like it should be. It doesn't have the typical chunky neck and over-sized body of most 12-strings, yet positively booms. The treble notes are crystal clear. If you want a 12-string that sounds good live and plugged in, the Taylor 562CE is the one to get.
Professional Reviews
Joe Gore at Premier Guitar noted, “The 562ce gushes gloriously rich tones, yet it’s the most easy-playing 12-string I’ve encountered. Partly it’s the size. The body has a lap-friendly Grand Concert profile in lieu of the usual dreadnought or jumbo shape. […] The action is low and fast, yet entirely buzz-free. The string tension is mellow, even tuned up to standard pitch. The neck is devoid of dead or buzzy spots. No string pairs predominate. Superb fretwork provides a uniformly buttery feel everywhere on the ebony fretboard.”
User Reviews
One Guitar Center reviewer loved how easy it was to play, “The small body and hog top keep the overtones In check. It’s not as jangly as a typical 12 string. As a result it plays more like a 6 strings. Rapid chord changes are clean and crisp not muddy. It may not appeal to a traditional 12 string player but it’s a perfect fit for me.”
An Amazon customer also noted the ease of play and beautiful sound, “I can say that playability of the Taylor 562ce is superb. That guitar is not much ornamented, it offers just necessary decorations. Nevertheless, its materials, craftsmanship and setup is second to none, deemed perfect or at least, nearly. Finally, it sings quite beautifully.”
What makes a great 12-string acoustic guitar?
The best 12-string guitars will be made of solid wood on the top, back and sides. It will have high quality tuners, bridge and action.
And lastly, this blogger’s video review gives you some great examples and opinions of the guitar in action. Definitely a must-watch:
Why you should NOT buy your acoustic guitar online
From personal experience, multiple times (what can I say, I’m a slow learner), I have had instruments arrive in terrible shape when ordered online. Too often (especially when you are shopping for the LEAST expensive) the person pulling the instrument off the shelf to ship to you isn’t a musician, and just sends it. For cables, some electronics, and digital instruments this might be fine.
Acoustic guitars are another matter entirely. They are not only sensitive to bumps and vibrations, they are sensitive to humidity and extreme temperatures.
Definitely read reviews online like Acoustic Guitar Forum, Amazon, and Guitar Center.
If you must buy from an online retailer, make sure it is one which allows you to ship to store. That way an onsite guitar tech can do all the necessary adjustments and tweaks before it even gets into your hands, as well as checking if the guitar was damaged at all in shipment.
Tell Me If There's A Deal For This
Best 12-String Acoustic Guitar
Taylor 562ce
Important Specs
| Body Shape | Grand Concert 12-Fret |
| Top | Tropical Mahogany |
| Sides & Back | Tropical Mahogany |
| Binding | Tortoise Shell |
| Neck | Tropical Mahogany |
| Scale Length | 24.875" |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Bridge | Ebony |
| Nut/Saddle | Tusq/Micarta |
| Case Included | Deluxe Hardshell |
| Strings | Elixir Phosphor Bronze Light |
| Nut Width | 1.875" |
| Body Length | 19.5" |
| Body Width | 15" |
| Body Depth | 5" |
| Electronics | Expression System 2 |
| Tuners | Taylor nickel |
| more specs |
Synopsis:
The Taylor 562CE sounds great in literally any application. It's also slimmer in the neck and body which makes it a dream to play. Whether you are recording acoustic with a mic, plugged in for live performance, acoustic jam sessions with others, it sounds as good as or better than most other currently available 12-strings out there today. It's not just the opinion of professional reviewers either. Our hands-on playing, as well as the numerous hands-on reviews from others on messageboards and forums are fairly unanimous - even from people who don't like Taylor Guitars.
Sources
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Staff, TaylorGuitars.com, 20170314
Taylor 858e Official Product Page“Players who crave a huge, “wall-of-sound” 12-string voice will love the 858e.”
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Adam Perlmutter, Acoustic Guitar Magazine, 20160327
New Gear: Taylor’s 858E and 552CE 12-Fret“The 858e has the same new features as the other guitars in the 800 Series. Its bracing and wood thicknesses have been optimized for the best sound, and for the same purpose, protein glue is used to attach the bridge and bracing. The body’s gloss finish, only 3.5 mils thick (about 40 percent less than Taylor’s previous finish) has been thinned to allow the box to vibrate optimally.”
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Joe Gore, Premier Guitar, 20160607
Taylor 562CE 12 Fret 12-String review“The 562ce gushes gloriously rich tones, yet it’s the most easy-playing 12-string I’ve encountered. Partly it’s the size. The body has a lap-friendly Grand Concert profile in lieu of the usual dreadnought or jumbo shape. [...] The action is low and fast, yet entirely buzz-free. The string tension is mellow, even tuned up to standard pitch. The neck is devoid of dead or buzzy spots. No string pairs predominate. Superb fretwork provides a uniformly buttery feel everywhere on the ebony fretboard.”
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, , 20160822
Taylor 562ce 2016 12 String ★ Guitar Review“If you are ever in the studio tracking a 12-string guitar part this would be something I would definitely have on your list.”
Important Specs
| Body Shape | Grand Concert 12-Fret |
| Top | Tropical Mahogany |
| Sides & Back | Tropical Mahogany |
| Binding | Tortoise Shell |
| Neck | Tropical Mahogany |
| Scale Length | 24.875" |
| Fingerboard | Ebony |
| Bridge | Ebony |
| Nut/Saddle | Tusq/Micarta |
| Case Included | Deluxe Hardshell |
| Strings | Elixir Phosphor Bronze Light |
| Nut Width | 1.875" |
| Body Length | 19.5" |
| Body Width | 15" |
| Body Depth | 5" |
| Electronics | Expression System 2 |
| Tuners | Taylor nickel |
| more specs |
“It’s not so much the equipment as how you use it. I’ve heard people with really cheap studios do great recordings.” —Frank Gambale
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